Item Review - Danner Acadia Hot Boots Part 2

Part 1 here!

Part 2 Review!

So i just got back from BMT for the Territorial Army last week! And it was definitely tougher than I imagined weekend warriors to be. I had to wear the Danners boots as they didn't have my size in the Army. I was quite sad as the required boots need to be black smooth leather, and this is quite the opposite.

But, irregardless, they still let me wear this, as their lack of a sizeable boot is hardly my fault. So, this is kinda my first time doing a part 2. I've done updates, but this seems bigger than an update, so i'll warrant it a whole post of its own.

These are cleaned up. Couldn't get a picture of them in swamp thing mode.

Comfort, Fit and Flex

I still give comfort and fit a 100%, 5 out of 5, and everything. I actually wore them to sleep several times while in the barracks, and of course the entire time while in jungle training.

We'd stand for hours on the hot parade ground surfaces. While the other recruits had heat penetration on the issue stuff, the Acadia's kept the heat out really well. I never had a hot spot, even when tabbing through the midday sun on dry baked dirt. The fit has loosened up since when I first got it, so my feet fit just nice. It's still something to be worried about when buying online, so try em out if you can. It'll definitely save you the 2 weeks worry while waiting for the shipment to arrive.

The ankle support on these things are still A lot less than some of the previous boots I had. Usually, I'd say just man up and strengthen them weak ankles, but in this case, you still need to be careful. The soles are quite heavy and a misstep is all you need to roll them. I almost did while trekking through the uneven terrain of our rain forest, but I have strong ankles and also, I managed to recover before my full weight rolled on it.

Flex is great on the Acadias. The toe box takes sometime to loosen up, but once done, it will flex just as your toes need to while taking a knee. 

Durability

These are dessie boots, there's no ignoring that. The suede makes it less ideal for our climate, and while I do regret not choosing the black smooth leather options that LL talked me out of getting, these made it through everything I threw at them.

We were constantly soaked, either from immersion by river, soaking through mud, flooding by mangrove swamp, or just your everyday tropical rain storm, we were miserably soaked, and so were these boots.

People opt for smooth leather because you can apply boot wax to add to it's waterproofing, which means that water beads up and rolls off of it. Suede is different, it absorbs the water it comes into contact with, so the most you can do is spray it with some waterproofing agent which keeps light drops away, but nothing more.

So, wet leather then will start to rot if it's not dried at the next soonest chance. I did my best to keep it dry and to maintain it any chance I got, and it survived!

Actually, it's doing pretty well. There are some stains from dirt, and some elbow grease from the 3 ton trucks that I cleaned away, but some stains are just too damned stubborn.

Thread and Grip

This has to do with durability as well, but it's solely about soles (seewhatididthar?). I had to march, PT, tab, swim, live and sleep in these boots, so basically they rested only when I did, and that wasn't very often.

The soles look quite untouched, compared to the standard issue (not a fair comparison). Although it did show some sight signs of wear. at the heel and at the ball.

The slightly whiter spots at the lugs are actually wear signs

Grip wise, it held up in all situations except one. Clay like mud. Stepped in it once, and it was like I had no lugs or patterns on the soles, and I was going up A hill. I heard that Vulcanized Panama Soles are perfect at these kinds of terrain.

Bells and Whistles

These things right here. These 2 holes. You will thank whoever first decided to punch holes in A perfectly good boot. They drain the majority of the water from your boot, withour needing to take off the boot. The placement of these holes are right where the insole meets your foot, so every step you take, water will be squeezed out of them. 

I have had the misfortune of stepping in ankle deep waters before, but nothing more than a few drops made it in. Thank goodness for that.

The second thing I noticed was this sponge like layer in between the bottom most out sole and the thinner upper layer connecting it to the upper leather of the boot. There was some signs of compression due to impact. I will say, it probably did absorb a great deal of impact whilst marching and tabbing, but I have a feeling that it might give way faster than the sole will. I know this is recraftable, but I'd  have to deal with the shipping to and from Danners and that'd be a major pain.

Water Handling

Water handling. Pretty good right here. Apart from the fact that this is suede, and not smooth leather, these dry up rather fast. With plenty of activity under the harsh equator sun, these will dry up to a comfortable level within 4 to 5 hours. Now, anyone who knows anything about leather will tell you this. Keep leather away from intense heat. So DO NOT sun dry them. That's what everyone else did, and they ended up cracking real fast.

I'll  confess, however. I did dry my boots out in the sun. Once. And only for a couple hours.

If the weather is overcast cold and humid, you will need newspaper and let it dry in a place where there's plenty of air movement. Usually overnight and it should be ok to wear. Still damp, but at least no water is going to be seeping into your socks.

The suede will lose it's water repellent characteristic, especially after a good soaking. So be sure to reapply after having it dry up. Use something good, as it does make a huge difference. 

Peeves

Of all my previous peeves, I only have 1 left. When wet, it is impossible to put these boots on, wet sock, dry sock or no sock at all. The increased friction just means you can't slide your feet into them. Even after loosening the whole boot up, it's still got some of this problem. This is quite frustrating, especially when you're running late for the morning roll call.

Conclusion

These are a great pair of hot weather boots. If they were smooth leather, they'd make the perfect jungle boot. It's a shame though, that Danners doesn't make jungle boots. I'd love to see the level of quality they invest in their product, in a pair of boots my countries army could use.

Danners makes an outstanding pair of boots, and I fear that any boot that I put on my feet now will never meet the standards that Danners has set so high. Even if the price is considered exorbitant when converted to  my currency, it's something that is worth investing in. Quality like this is a dying art.

Item Acquisition - Ka Bar BK11 Becker "Necker"

Just got this last week from Outdoor Gear Malaysia / Legion Products shop in Subang Jaya last week. For those of you who are still looking for the address -

A7-1 (1st Floor), Jln SS15/8A, Subang Jaya 47500 Petaling Jaya

So, Ka Bar, a name synonymous with the USMC's legendary fighting/utility knife, paired with the experience of Becker Knife and Tool Corporation, manufactured a line of beautifully made knives.

Stats can be found here, along with some history and bio's.

So, i'm not an expert about steel, metallurgy, or knives, not even close. And it's thanks to the guys at Outdoor Gear Malaysia/ Legion Products, that I even know anything about this piece.

So, 1095 CroVan is quite a hard carbon steel with a mix of Chromium and Vanadium in it. It will apparently rust if not used for an extended period of time, but that is not a problem for me, as this has become my everyday utility knife.

Out of the box, it was pretty sharp, although not razor sharp, it was enough to take a small patch of hair off my arm.

It's really not as small as i first imagined it to be, although it's not quite big enough to fit into the web of my palm, the biener helps give it an easier grip.

I used the cobra weave for the handle. I chose this weave as it does make the handle slightly bigger, which now fit nice in my rather thick hands.

I had the sheath covered in paracord as well, just in case you need some, I would rather not taking the one from my handle, as that would affect the functionality of the knife itself. 

This does not come with a belt clip, but you can order one for it. What i did, however, was use the paracord as belt loops for the sheath. Be sure to use a tight knot, you don't want this thing dropping off your belt.

I picked this up from OGM who is now in Shah Alam, Space u8

www.ogm.my

https://www.facebook.com/outdoorgearmalaysia/

http://www.kabar.com/

Item Review - Danner Acadia Hot Boots Part 1

Part 2

Danner USA, is considered to be one of the best brands for boots in the States. In fact, in my time of searching for an American boot to buy, Danner was the only brand that did not have any bad reviews, and it seemed that it was the go to boot. 

Sometimes, other brands were recommended, but only if, for whatever reason, you couldn't get your hands on a pair of Danner boots. So, they've been doing this a long time, and these people are artisans, and my expectations were very, very, VERY high.

*               *               *

My sister just got back a couple weeks ago, and with it came an early birthday gift from my parents! Behold! a pair of comfy pillows!

None other than the US made Danner Acadia Desert Hot Boots 13US EE and on shoe sizing and width 

(this will come in handy later). Hit the link for the specs, I'm not gonna clutter this place up. 

Yes, I could have gotten the steel toe variant, or the waterproof version (that's the one that says 400G). But no, I did not want an anvil on the toebox, nor do I need a portable swimming pool when I get out from the muck.  

\

Beautiful.

Made in the USA! Quality is assured!

Ok, we all know, the UK, and Germans make some of the best boots too. But there's no doubt that Danners knows how to make an amazing pair of footwear.

So, out of the box. These are different from my Magnums in the way that the Magnums feel more like a pair of trainers with padding and the Danners feel like a really solid boot. It's like comparing a sedan with a truck, so I won't make this into a VS post.

Outsole is Vibram, and has a very aggressive thread. 

Comfort, Fit and Flex

I give comfort 5 our of 5! First thing you'll notice is how cushioned it is. It feels like your feet are enveloped in air, it's really amazing! The great bit is actually the inner fabric liner, as it hug's your feet but remains slightly loose to the boot itself. This reduces the friction your foot will have with the boot itself, so less blisters all around!

The fit is a bit tighter where width is concerned. When I got my other pairs of footwear, i just got the standard width, which fit just fine. But after measuring on a Brannock device, i was advised to get EE's or extra wide. As I was ordering online, I could not try them before purchase, so I was a bit worried that extra wide would be too wide for me! But when they came, they were a tad snug, just a bit more than my Magnums. So online purchasers beware!

The height on these are actually 1 inch taller than my Magnums, which are 9 inches, so that makes the Danners a 10 incher! Which I just love. It's all about the length boys, don't forget that!

The arch area is also a bit of a tight fit. I find that area of the boot actually bulging when the laces are loose, which causes it to extend over the width of the out sole slightly. Whether this is part of the design or not, I am actually unsure. BUT, after constant walking, I have found this to be a non issue for me. It feels as comfy as expected. 

Straight out, the boot is already pretty flexible. There's sufficient ankle support if you tighten up the laces whilst still giving you that flex.

To everyone who asks me when they see that I wear a boot. No, they are not hot, in fact, they are extremely comfortable. With the drainage holes on the inner side of the boot, I actually do feel a draft every so often.

Durability

These boots are recraftable, so, when a part wears out, all you have to do is send it back to the factory to be refurbished and it'll be functional again! Off the top of my head, I only can think of Alt-Berg's offering resoling services. This little cost would actually let your pair of boots extend its service life for another term.

They look like tanks. see for yourself. Keep in mind, most boot makers boast a 1.8 to 2.2 mm thick leather upper. And if my measurements seem wrong, it's because it's late as i'm writing this, and my eyes are foggy.

That's the thickness for the upper, roughly 3 mm

This is where the out sole meets the upper. Looks like a good 3mm.

The tongue and the collar are slightly thinner, at what looks like 2mm. No, I did not include the fabric layer.

The thick threaded stitching's are very reassuring too, I actually really dislike the idea of glue on footwear, especially between the out sole and the upper. It works fine, don't get me wrong, but I know that eventually, it will give out, and it will need to be restitched again, on top of that, glue just really does not like moisture and heat, which is just the weather i'm in!!

Thread and Grip!

I added an exclamation mark on that heading, just because of what I think about the one on these boots. It's simply outstanding!

It's Vibrams Sierra our sole. It's very aggressive and the grooves are deep. It's not too hard, but it will hold up from wear for a long time. The traction is great, as I climbed all over mossy rocks and boulders, it held fast! The threads self cleaned pretty well too, just took a bit more walking.

They do feel a little clumpy, however, so it's not as quiet as some other threads I've had.

Bells and Whistles

So, here's where we address all the gimmick. 

Fortunately, there isn't much with this pair. Only thing was the drainage holes at the inner side of the boots.

Mesh is there to prevent debris from entering, looks like it's made from plastic mesh (?) not much info on this.

I know what most of you are thinking. "Why the hell would you want 2 holes in your boots?",  "Whats the purpose of having leather constructions then?" and "Waters gonna seep in straight from there!!"

Actually those were my thoughts. And from my many hours spent on the internet researching the experiences of others, coupled with my own of course, I've found that it's a bigger priority for me to have my boots dry up rather than keeping water out (and potentially in as well). 

I've found all that breathable waterproof crap to be a gimmick. Sure it's breathable! I could put a plastic bag over your head, but not tie it off and it'd still be breathable, just won't be very efficient. 

So, I haven't put them to the water handling test yet, that will come soon, perhaps when PT resumes in January. 

Water Handling

Just got them! you expect this part so soon? Are you mad?? Wait for the update!

Peeves

What I found lacking were actually the insoles it came with, and the laces. The insoles are just normal foam. There's no arch support, and they're quite thin. This doesn't really affect me as I use custom insoles.

Second thing was the laces. They're wiry, thin and a tad too long. Just replace them with some 550 para cord and you're set.

The fabric liner on the inside might actually make it hard to put the boot on if wet or wearing damp socks (or no socks). You'd have to loosen it all the way just for this. 

I do wish the overall width of the out sole was wider, especially around the mid section, I'm not sure if shoe sizing has anything to do with it. I just don't like the idea of my boot bulging anywhere. 

Item Showcase - Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK)

Good evening people, my apologies for the lack of posts, I tend to write A couple posts every month or so, but i'll try to make it more consistent, however, there is only so much gear that I have left to write about. I will be "acquiring" more equipment next week from A new AMAZING shop that just opened, so here's a shout-out to Outdoor Gear Malaysia / Legion Paintball !

Anyways, This post is about a First Aid Kits (IFAK). Apart from the rather obscene acronym, the "I" stands for Individual, not to be confused with the US Military's Improved First Aid Kit. It's important to understand that Individual implies that it will be made to your needs and specifications.

This the a rather comprehensive FAK that you can get from OGM

My needs require that my IFAK be able to accommodate for paintball games, hiking/camping trips, and everyday emergency situations, should the arise. Usually the situation's you would face are bleeding trauma's, sprains, broken bones, heat stroke, dizziness, dehydration, etc.

So, for your first aid kit, one that you should carry with you everywhere you go, should contain things that would treat an immediate life threatening situation. I don't keep aspirin, painkillers, etc in my kit, because my priority is to treat life threatening situations, not someones headache. However, this may vary if that's what you want your IFAK to accommodate, then by all means.

So here's my setup

1 Set of splints

1 Bottle of antiseptic solution

2 Triangular bandages

1 Roll of elastic bandage

2 Pair of latex gloves

3 Pcs band aid

1 Field dressing (medium)

2 Field dressing (Large)

1 Paracord 3ft

and 3 pieces of unorthodox bits

2 Sachets of Ice-T powder (with sugar, not that sweetener stuff)

3 Condoms

6 Pcs tampons

The triangular bandages are great for several applications, from cradling or wrapping a broken arm, as a bandage to stop bleeding, or even as a tourniquet when you have nothing else.

Elastic bandages. I find that sprained ankles are very common, and that usually means that you're either out of commission, or if that is not an option, that you're in for a very long, painful tab. Wrapping that sprained ankle will give it additional support, and help reduce pain, and probably further damage. It has come in handy for me once while travelling, and I hot tendinitis on my right ankle. This thing is a savior. 

Latex gloves are important to protect yourselves from you are exposed to when treating someone else. Last thing you want is to come into contact with contaminated liquids. Always have a spare, as there is no substitute for your own protection. 

Band aids are great for those small cuts and nicks. 

Field dressings are a wonderful thing when trying to stop a larger open wound.

Paracord is a must have for any situation. In my case of an IFAK, I haven't found a proper tourniquet yet, so this will have to do for now.

Now, onto the unorthodox stuff. Some people will argue that they are stupid or even impractical. But it seems like it could come in handy one day, so I will keep it anyways.

Ice-T sachets. I made sure not to get the ones with artificial sweeteners. This is meant to be mixed with water from my hydro pack  and then used to treat someone with low blood sugar levels. This is more common in paintball than you think. Some guy who didn't have breakfast or lunch plays half the day with only water to drink, could eventually succumb to low glucose levels, especially since they've been exerting themselves.

Condoms are rather useful if you want to keep a wound dry. Just snip off the end and pull it over the wounded area. Probably won't work on someones thigh though.

Tampons. I'll let this article explain

http://www.snopes.com/military/tampon.asp

Now, I package everything in a ziplock bag to make sure everything stays dry and help with the organizing bit. Also, the bags can be used to treat a sucking chest wound.

A great addition, which I plan on adding, is a faceshield for CPR, tweezers, paramedic scissors, and antihistamines. 

This pack is perfect for me for several reasons. It allows me to act on most of the injuries I learnt in first aid. It's small enough to be carried conveniently, the pack itself is a Molle pack i got from Helikon-Tex, so it'll fit right on my Tactical Assault Vest. Anyways, it's far from perfect, and as any IFAK should be, a work in progress.

Having an IFAK is no substitute for proper First Aid training. Join a course now! before it's too late to have made a difference.

Cheers! And thanks for reading!

Item Review - ESS Crossbow

Okay, so I just received my order of an ESS Crossbow set, and I've been anticipating it for about a week.

And here is the ESS (Eye Safety Systems) website

http://www.esseyepro.com/

Well anyways, here are a few photo's.

I'm not going to bother copy-pasting the features and info as you can read it on the site, and i know how frustrating it is to be searching for reviews only to see a bloody copy paste from the site. So here's a proper write up!

It's a snug fit for a guy my size as i have a fat head. However, according to Magnus, it would have fitted his father fine too, who ordered the ESS ICE NARO (the narrow version of the bestselling ICE)

The Tri-Tech frame isn't a gimmick (sorry, i'm born and raised suspicious, pessimistic (i'd rather call it realist) and paranoid) as it wraps nicely around the side of your head, as shown below. I've had sunnies (won't mention the brand) that really press on the side of your head, just above the ear. 

As you see, i have the P-2B Rx insert kit which comes with an adapter nose piece. While wearing it, i really don't notice the insert at all., so there's sufficient spacing between the insert and your eye(lashes).

One thing that amazed me was the workmanship. I really liked how everything fits perfectly. From the glasses, to the nose piece (which I got way before the Crossbow was launched). I give thumbs up to their QC.

I'm not sure what the frame is made of, but it's really light and the hinges are quite smooth. My only concern might be the durability of the frame. As i usually do go for heavy items as they usually mean that they are heavier duty, this light one will definitely have me writing a follow up soon.

I have 2 issues, however. The nose piece and section isn't quite wide enough to accommodate my very flat and fat Asian nose, and it just barely touches my nose. But i do not find this a problem for me as of yet. And I was speaking to an ESS distributor during the 2012 DSA that they are, indeed coming up with an Asian feature version of the ESS line, which is great as there will then be a variety of face shapes that the customer can purchase. Personally, the frame fit is just nice for me.

My second peeve is the Dedbolt Lenslock. It does keep the lens very firmly in place, and even when not engaged, the lens doesn't budge as it has 2 notches at the side of the frame and the slot in which the whole length of the frame sits in, literally already keeps it in place. BUT, the pivot of the bolt does move fairly easy, and it's quite easy for it to go unnoticed if it does unlock.

I can't comment on the ballistic part as i'm not about to volunteer to getting shot in the face with a shotgun at 15 feet. But when someone does, let me know. It is meant more to protect your eyes from shrapnel in the event of an IED and no so much as protection from a firearm.

 So far, I'm fairly pleased with these ballistic glasses, i'm a nitpicker and a perfectionist where my gear is concerned, but i digress, as my issues are rather personal.

If there are any questions about the product or my review, please leave a comment or send me an email. I will do my best to answer promptly.

If anyone is interested in ordering these glasses, please contact Stanlley Tai +6 012-2113039